Happy (early) Halloween Bookworms!
I have a rather exciting announcement to make... ooh the suspense... I have created a NEW blog to post my academic-related stuff! Woot woot! So that means the Black Rose Bookcase will be used for my book reviews ONLY. Double woot woot! So if you're in need of some school-related help, check out http://www.AcademicMagick.blogspot.com. The name is great, I know.
In other news, tomorrow I am going to go listen to some really cool people speak at my library! Guess who it is? PARANORMAL INVESTIGATORS. And guess what else?! THEY WROTE A BOOK. I will definitely be posting a special Halloween post all about that experience, and also an update on what I did for Halloween.
May the odds be ever in your favor! (I don't know, the old saying got old)
~Your One and Only Black Rose Librarian
Sam ^_^
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Thursday, October 10, 2013
AP Biology: Tour of the Cell & Cell Membrane
·
All
membranes are composed of lipids, proteins, and a little bit of carbohydrates.
·
Daveson-Danielle
(1941) model proposed a lipid sandwich with a coat of proteins on either side.
·
The
current Singer-Nicholson ‘fluid mosaic’ model envisions membranes as a
double-lipid layer “sea” in which protein molecules float like icebergs.
·
The
hydrophobic fatty acid tail ends of proteins stick into the lipid layer because
they are water-hating.
·
The
hydrophilic phosphate head ends stick outside the layer because they are
water-loving.
·
Active
transport= requires energy or ATP; helped with the use of a pump.
·
Passive
transport= does not require energy to occur; random. I.e. diffusion and
osmosis.
·
Diffusion=movement
of substances other than water from areas of higher concentration to lower
concentration.
·
Osmosis=diffusion
of water.
·
Dialysis=separating larger molecules and
smaller molecules from each other by means of the membrane.
·
Integral
Proteins= go through the phospholipid bilayer.
·
Peripheral
Proteins=stationed on the outside of the phospholipid bilayer or on the
surface.
·
Embedded
in the bilayer are cholesterol and a variety of protein molecules.
o
Channel
proteins-passing of certain water-soluble substances across the membrane.
o
Electron
transfer proteins- transfer electrons from molecule to molecule.
o
Receptor
Protein-binds to molecule it is looking for which triggers receptor to signal
endocytosis.
o
Recognition
Proteins-recognize and help in some cells sticking to other cells.
o
Transport
Proteins-use ATP to transport materials across membrane in process called
active transport (requires energy to occur).
·
Selectively
Permeable Membrane-only certain substances can pass through.
·
Hypertonic-more
outside of the cell.
·
Plasmolysis-water
moves outside out of the cell causing it to shrivel up. Occurs in hypertonic.
·
Isotonic-equal
amount inside and outside of the cell. Substances leaving and entering the cell
at an equal rate.
·
Hypotonic-more
inside the cell.
·
Lysis-occurs
in in hypotonic cell in which the cell bursts because there is too much water
inside of it.
·
Turgid-swollen
cell. Occurs in hypertonic. Vacuoles are up to their maximum capacity of
holding water.
·
Exocytosis-expulsion
of materials from cell.
·
Endocytosis-materials
entering the cell.
o
Phagocytosis-cellular
eating. The cell engulfs undissolved substances that are too large to pass
through the membrane.
o
Pinocytosis-cellular
drinking. The cell engulfs dissolved substances that are too large to pass
through the membrane.
·
Diffusion
and osmosis are similar in that they involve movement across a membrane and
both relate to concentration gradient. However, they differ in that osmosis
deals with water only and diffusion deals with everything else.
·
The
larger the molecules, the tougher a time it will be to pass through the
membrane.
·
In
the dialysis tubing experiment, iodine diffused into the bag because its
molecules were small enough to do pass through the membrane. The starch
remained inside of the bag because the molecules were too large. The solution
remained an amber-yellow color and the bag turned dark blue due to the
concentration of iodine that seeped into the bag.
·
Cell
membrane= gives cell shape and holds the cytoplasm.
·
Chloroplast=makes
food in a plant cell through process
of photosynthesis.
·
Cell
wall=thick outer covering that protects and supports plant cells.
·
Vacuoles=store
substances.
·
Nucleus=contains
genetic material/hereditary information.
·
Centrioles=help
with cell division. Only found in animal
cells.
·
Nuclear
Envelope= allows material to move inside and outside of the nucleus. Nuclear envelope
is to nucleus as cell membrane is to cell.
·
Golgi
apparatus=packages and stores chemicals made by the cell.
·
Most
chemical reactions in a cell take place in the cytoplasm.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
"The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand Book Review 9/24/2013
Title: The Fountainhead
Author: Ayn Rand
Genre: Philosophical Fiction
Year Published: 1943
*Happy Banned Books Week!!! This post has nothing to do with Banned Books Week but I thought I'd be festive right here*
*Happy Banned Books Week!!! This post has nothing to do with Banned Books Week but I thought I'd be festive right here*
I'm baaaaack! Yes it has literally been months since I have posted... and I have really missed this! I attribute my absence to this 694-page monster, The Fountainhead. This novel is required reading for my A.P. English Language and Composition class that I am taking in 11th grade. As well as read it, I had to annotate every page and keep a list of vocabulary words to define. As if that wasn't time-consuming enough, my soon-to-be teacher heaped on 12 reflective response essays. I can honestly say that I have never taken so long to read a book in my entire life. I started around the beginning of July an have finished at the close of August. Fountainhead was my second Ayn Rand work. The first was Anthem, a novella, that I read for school in freshman year which I enjoyed. It was short, concise, and to the point. Fountainhead however was drawn-out, repetitive, dry, and terribly boring. I'd say it was 200-300 pages too long. The book is divided into four sub-books and each contains like 20 chapters. So enough about the size, time to get to the good stuff; the story.
To make a LONG story short, the book starts off with the expulsion of protagonist Howard Roark from the Stanton architectural school. Roark is a stubborn individualist whose nonconformist values get him booted out of college. Enter Peter Keating, the polar opposite of Roark: a 'goody-two-shoes' type with a charm, good looks, and conformist nature. Keating graduates Stanton and immediately takes a job offer at the acclaimed Francon & Heyer architectural firm. Roark goes on to struggle financially and fails numerous times during his architectural endeavors because he refuses to be a people-pleaser. Even though Keating hates Roark (as result of his intense jealousy of him), he still comes to him for help and Roark always gives it to him. All of Keating's notable works are actually designed by Roark but he takes the credit for it. Keating falls prey to the cunning Ellsworth M. Toohey, a journalist with hopes of one day ruling the world through Collectivism. Keating 'sells his soul' to Toohey in exchange for success. Toohey writes articles praising Keating's 'achievements'. Then Dominique Francon comes along, Guy Francon from Francon & Heyer's daughter. She's beautiful, mysterious, and cold. After seeing Roark working at a granite quarry because he is financial trouble, she falls in love with him. Roark and Dominique proceed to have a really creepy/weird relationship that made me feel uncomfortable and that I will never truly understand... and Dominique, the weirdo that she is, insists she will try her hardest to destroy Roark. At first this made absolutely no sense to me. But then I figured out that since Dominique admires Roark's work so much and feels it is brilliant in reflecting the human spirit, she feels the world does not deserve him because it is a corrupt place. Really, Dominique only has intentions of protecting Roark by destroying him... yeah I know it's strange. It gets worse I assure you. So Dominique ends up marrying Peter Keating. Like, legit. Bet you didn't see that coming! Her rationale for doing this is that it is her way of punishing herself because society has rejected Howard Roark... do y'all understand that wacky logic or is just me? This Dominique girl really does confuse the life out of me. Especially when she dumps Keating and marries yet again; her new husband being ruthless businessman Gail Wynand who owns a popular newspaper called The Banner. The Banner caters to the mass populace appeal which is why it is so successful. When Gail and Dominique marry, he is impacted by her way of thinking and he sees life in a different perspective. Roark comes along again as expected and develops a friendship with Gail who is married to the woman he loves whom is just pretending to love Gail when really she's gaga over Roark... thus you end up with an awkward love-triangle thing and Ayn Rand goes all Twilight on us.
But seriously... this story just keeps getting crazier and crazier. Roark dynamites a building he designed because it was 'defiled' by some other architects and he has a total diva meltdown. There's a trial and Roark engages in like a hundred page speech preaching the gospel about individualism and all that fun stuff. Guess what happens next? He wins the trial! I know, I was dying of happiness too. Peter becomes a failure because his time of success has expired or something like that because Toohey dumped him as a friend. Heavy stuff, huh? So Roark wins the in the end because Dominique marries him at last! AW THE HAPPY COUPLE. How warm and fuzzy. The book closes with Roark constructing a glorious skyscraper to prove to the world that he has risen from the ashes mwahaha...
So here's my take on the book... I have organized them into numbered points for your convenience:
1. I like what Roark stands for, but I'm not too sure I like him per se. He's so sure of himself but in almost cocky way... and anyone that would put up with that Dominique has to be a little off.
2. As much of an irritating baby Peter Keating is, I felt a little bad for him at the end of the book because he honestly does resemble an innocent child at times.
3. Dominique... I don't even know what to say...
4. Gail Wynand was all right I guess. He was kind of bossy. Yes I get that he is indeed a boss (in a literal sense) but I was hoping he'd have this hidden sensitive side and it'd be all emotional...
4. Ellsworth Toohey, why do people like you exist? You give me headaches.
5. Ayn Rand... oh Ms. Rosenbaum... couldn't you have cut this book down to like 300 pages and I'd be okay with that. But 700? Woman, ain't nobody got time for that! Also, you're not a priest so please don't try to preach to me... you could have summarized your philosophy in 2-3 sentences and I would have been on my way. You repeated yourself easily over a thousand times and we certainly heard you the first time so really you could have saved a lot of ink. Another thing, um no offense but I didn't know what the heck you were talking about when you rambled on and on about the architecture of the Parthenon... yeah it just wasn't clicking in my brain. I praise you for being such an expert in accelerated vocabulary though, you sure do know your stuff!
Overall, Fountainhead was an exhausting read and I'm relieved that I've read and annotated it and I never have to look at it ever again... besides when I receive my grade on it. What could have easily been a 300-page (or even less) novel turned into The Odyssey. I did agree with a lot of the themes presented in the book, but I would have preferred if it wasn't so preachy. Would I recommend this literary work? Not in particular. If you read and enjoyed Ayn Rand's Anthem as I did, don't bother with Fountainhead because your feelings towards Rand will most likely become hostile.
Thanks for reading and always remember...
Stay in school, be a Potterhead, soar like a Mockingjay, respect the nature and above all... be your magickal self!
~Sam
AKA The Black Rose Librarian ^_^
To make a LONG story short, the book starts off with the expulsion of protagonist Howard Roark from the Stanton architectural school. Roark is a stubborn individualist whose nonconformist values get him booted out of college. Enter Peter Keating, the polar opposite of Roark: a 'goody-two-shoes' type with a charm, good looks, and conformist nature. Keating graduates Stanton and immediately takes a job offer at the acclaimed Francon & Heyer architectural firm. Roark goes on to struggle financially and fails numerous times during his architectural endeavors because he refuses to be a people-pleaser. Even though Keating hates Roark (as result of his intense jealousy of him), he still comes to him for help and Roark always gives it to him. All of Keating's notable works are actually designed by Roark but he takes the credit for it. Keating falls prey to the cunning Ellsworth M. Toohey, a journalist with hopes of one day ruling the world through Collectivism. Keating 'sells his soul' to Toohey in exchange for success. Toohey writes articles praising Keating's 'achievements'. Then Dominique Francon comes along, Guy Francon from Francon & Heyer's daughter. She's beautiful, mysterious, and cold. After seeing Roark working at a granite quarry because he is financial trouble, she falls in love with him. Roark and Dominique proceed to have a really creepy/weird relationship that made me feel uncomfortable and that I will never truly understand... and Dominique, the weirdo that she is, insists she will try her hardest to destroy Roark. At first this made absolutely no sense to me. But then I figured out that since Dominique admires Roark's work so much and feels it is brilliant in reflecting the human spirit, she feels the world does not deserve him because it is a corrupt place. Really, Dominique only has intentions of protecting Roark by destroying him... yeah I know it's strange. It gets worse I assure you. So Dominique ends up marrying Peter Keating. Like, legit. Bet you didn't see that coming! Her rationale for doing this is that it is her way of punishing herself because society has rejected Howard Roark... do y'all understand that wacky logic or is just me? This Dominique girl really does confuse the life out of me. Especially when she dumps Keating and marries yet again; her new husband being ruthless businessman Gail Wynand who owns a popular newspaper called The Banner. The Banner caters to the mass populace appeal which is why it is so successful. When Gail and Dominique marry, he is impacted by her way of thinking and he sees life in a different perspective. Roark comes along again as expected and develops a friendship with Gail who is married to the woman he loves whom is just pretending to love Gail when really she's gaga over Roark... thus you end up with an awkward love-triangle thing and Ayn Rand goes all Twilight on us.
But seriously... this story just keeps getting crazier and crazier. Roark dynamites a building he designed because it was 'defiled' by some other architects and he has a total diva meltdown. There's a trial and Roark engages in like a hundred page speech preaching the gospel about individualism and all that fun stuff. Guess what happens next? He wins the trial! I know, I was dying of happiness too. Peter becomes a failure because his time of success has expired or something like that because Toohey dumped him as a friend. Heavy stuff, huh? So Roark wins the in the end because Dominique marries him at last! AW THE HAPPY COUPLE. How warm and fuzzy. The book closes with Roark constructing a glorious skyscraper to prove to the world that he has risen from the ashes mwahaha...
So here's my take on the book... I have organized them into numbered points for your convenience:
1. I like what Roark stands for, but I'm not too sure I like him per se. He's so sure of himself but in almost cocky way... and anyone that would put up with that Dominique has to be a little off.
2. As much of an irritating baby Peter Keating is, I felt a little bad for him at the end of the book because he honestly does resemble an innocent child at times.
3. Dominique... I don't even know what to say...
4. Gail Wynand was all right I guess. He was kind of bossy. Yes I get that he is indeed a boss (in a literal sense) but I was hoping he'd have this hidden sensitive side and it'd be all emotional...
4. Ellsworth Toohey, why do people like you exist? You give me headaches.
5. Ayn Rand... oh Ms. Rosenbaum... couldn't you have cut this book down to like 300 pages and I'd be okay with that. But 700? Woman, ain't nobody got time for that! Also, you're not a priest so please don't try to preach to me... you could have summarized your philosophy in 2-3 sentences and I would have been on my way. You repeated yourself easily over a thousand times and we certainly heard you the first time so really you could have saved a lot of ink. Another thing, um no offense but I didn't know what the heck you were talking about when you rambled on and on about the architecture of the Parthenon... yeah it just wasn't clicking in my brain. I praise you for being such an expert in accelerated vocabulary though, you sure do know your stuff!
Overall, Fountainhead was an exhausting read and I'm relieved that I've read and annotated it and I never have to look at it ever again... besides when I receive my grade on it. What could have easily been a 300-page (or even less) novel turned into The Odyssey. I did agree with a lot of the themes presented in the book, but I would have preferred if it wasn't so preachy. Would I recommend this literary work? Not in particular. If you read and enjoyed Ayn Rand's Anthem as I did, don't bother with Fountainhead because your feelings towards Rand will most likely become hostile.
Thanks for reading and always remember...
Stay in school, be a Potterhead, soar like a Mockingjay, respect the nature and above all... be your magickal self!
~Sam
AKA The Black Rose Librarian ^_^
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
AP Biology Notes/Study Guide Chapters 1-5
AP Biology Chapters 1-5 Notes
Emergent properties=hierarchical
organization of biological processes.
Moleculeà Organelleà Cellà Tissueà Organism
Prokaryotes
(lack nucleus)= Domains Bacteria (blue-green algae, cyanobacteria, and E. Coli)
and Archaea (halophiles which love salt and thermophiles which love hot places
such as geysers).
Eukaryotes (have
nucleus)= Kingdoms Protista (Euglena, paramecia, amoeba; unicellular; 20-50
micrometers), Fungi (heterotrophs which means they cannot make their own food,
cell wall made of chitin, saprophytes aka mushrooms, think decomposers,
multicellular), Plantae (autotrophs which means they can make their own food
using the process of photosynthesis), Animalia (heterotrophs).
Feedback Mechanisms=
help regulate the body and maintain homeostasis which is a stable, internal
environment. 2 types: negative and positive. Negative feedback is when there is
not enough of something and the body says to make more. Positive is the
response when the product is being made of enough.
Evolution=
Charles Darwin and his studies on the Galapagos Islands (remember beaks of
finches lab). Natural selection is the altering of traits from parent to
offspring to better adapt to environment.
CNHOPS= elements
most abundant in life. Stands for carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous,
sulfur.
Types of
Chemical Bonds:
·
Covalent
bonds=sharing of electrons between 2 atoms.
o
Nonpolar
covalent= equal sharing such as hydrogen, oxygen, and methane.
o
Polar
covalent= not equal such as water.
Water molecules
are comprised of two hydrogen atoms bonded covalently to a single oxygen.
A single
hydrogen bond is weak. Together, hydrogen bonds are STRONG.
Surface tension
is the measure of how difficult it is to stretch or break the surface of a
liquid. Think of it this way—the surface is tense meaning hard to penetrate.
Specific heat
is the amount of heat it takes to either warm or cool a liquid by one degree Celsius.
Think of it this way-the ocean has a great specific heat because it takes so
long for it to get cold or warm.
High specific
heat of H2O allows aquatic/terrestrial organisms to live in a relatively
constant internal temp.
Vaporization
is going from a liquid to a gas.
Freezing is
going from a liquid to a solid.
Solution is
a mixture of 2 or more substances.
Solvent is
the dissolving agent such as tea. Water is an excellent solvent.
Solute is
the substance that is dissolved such as the sugar you pour into your tea.
Polar molecules
that dissolve in H2O are hydrophilic which means they LOVE water.
Fat molecules
don’t dissolve in H2O…they cluster together and are hydrophobic (have a
phobia of water).
Ionization of
water—think acids and bases!
In H2O,
hydrogen can jump from the oxygen to which it is covalently bonded to the one
it is hydrogen bonded.
Hydrogen bonding
occurs when a hydrogen atom is bonded to a highly electronegative atom. Electronegativity
is the tendency to attract electrons.
Two ions
form= hydronium H+, H3O+ (acidic) and hydroxyl which is OH- (basic).
Solutions are
acidic when there are more hydronium ions than there are hydroxyl ones.
Ex. HCl (if
it starts with H, it’s an acid)
They’re
basic when there are more hydroxyl ions than there are hydroniums.
Ex. NaOH (…and
if it ends with an OH that means it’s a base).
Organic chemistry
deals with CARBON !!! (hydrogen too).
The heterotroph
hypothesis deals with the primitive days of Earth… back before the cavemen… it
explains how life could have started on Earth. If certain circumstances exist
on Earth, then a cell can be born… or something to that extent.
Ionic bonds-transfer
of electrons between atoms (as opposed to sharing in covalent).
Example:
NaCl aka salt or if you want to get fancy, sodium chloride.
Hydrogen Bonds
are (again) formed when a hydrogen atom is covalently bonded to one
electronegative atom and is also attached to another one of those.
Isomers (not
isoTOPES which differ in the number of nuetrons) are compounds that have the
same molecular formula (written out with letters and numbers such as NaCl) but
different structural formulas (drawn out).
Structural
Isomer—differs in covalent arrangement.
*Geometric Isomer—differ
in spatial arrangements…? Yeah instead think of the model molecules we played
with in chemistry. 3D for the win.
Enantiomers—molecules
that are mirror images of each other. Cannot be overlapped.
Functional Groups
are attached the carbon skeleton and gives molecules their chemical properties
(think ketones, aldehydes, all that jazz from the Chemistry reference tables).
Organic molecules
are made up of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen.
1. Carbohydrates
2. Lipids
3. Proteins
4. Nucleic acids
Carbohydrates
are SRONG. They are polymers of sugar. Polymers are long chains. It’s principle
energy storage molecule. The cell wall of a plant is made up of cellulose.
Number of
Sugar Molecules Classification (still on carbohydrates):
Monosaccharide’s (one): single sugars
like glucose, galactose, and fructose. (CH2O)n. ‘n’ can range from 3-8. Classified
by hydroxyl groups (-OH) and an aldehyde or ketone group.
Disaccharides (two): lactose, sucrose. Transport sugars.
Principal way sugars are transported in invertebrates (lack a spine). Sucrose is
made by adding fructose and glucose together and also adding water in a process
called hydrolysis (digestion).
Polysaccharides (more than two): many
molecules called polymers like starch and chitin (makes up cell wall of fungi).
Starch is the principal storage molecule in plants. Starch is made up of
amylose and amylopectin. Glycogen is the principal sugar storage form in
animals… when there is an excess of glucose in the bloodstream, it is stored by
the liver as glycogen. If there is a lack of glucose, then the glycogen hormone
causes the liver to release glucose into the blood.
Structural Polysaccharides:
·
Cellulose=
cell wall. Flexible while plant is young to allow for growth but becomes harder
and more rigid as time goes on.
·
Cellulose
is a polymer made of glucose but can only be used as fuel.
Quick Exam Review
CHNOPS
stands for the elements most abundant in life.
Atomic
number=number of protons.
Mass number=number
of protons and neutrons; may also be referred to as atomic weight.
Isotopes=protons
give an element its identity but sometimes the number of neutrons differ
creating isotopes.
Electron configuration
and orbitals—valence shells (outermost shell of any atom; When the valence
electron in any atom gains sufficient energy from some outside force, it can
break away from the parent atom and become what is called a free electron), spatial arrangement
(think geometric isomers).
When writing
an electron configuration follow these steps:
1. Number of shell.
2. Letter of orbital.
3. Number of electrons in that orbital.
Orbitals are
S, P, D, and F.
Make sure
exponents add up to number of electrons.
Chemical bonds
are covalent (sharing of electrons between 2 atoms), polar (equal sharing),
nonpolar (not equal sharing), ionic (transfer of electrons between 2 atoms),
hydrogen (bonded to more electronegative and another electronegative), Van der
Waals (cool and hot spots, electrons being repelled and attracted by nucleus).
In a solvent
(dissolving agent), like dissolves like… in other words, polar dissolves polar
and nonpolar dissolves nonpolar.
Dissociation
is when water molecules break up into ions (hydronium and hydroxyl).
Organic
chemistryà carbon!
Heterotroph hypothesis:
methane (CH4), ammonia (NH3), CO2, H2, H2O.
Molecular formula
is written out using letters/numbers; structural formula is drawn out.
Fatty acids
are long chains of carbon.
Structural isomers
have the same molecular formula but a different structure.
Geometric isomers
(think 3D models of molecules).
Enantiomers are
molecule mirror images that cannot be laid on top of each other.
Polymers are
large molecules consisting of similar/identical building blocks or monomers.
Assembled=
condensation or dehydration synthesis (coming together)
Disassembled=
hydrolysis (add H2O, digestion)
Glucose forms
a ring, can form alpha or beta.
Certain enzymes
can break down alpha and beta in polysaccharides.
Alpha=hydroxyl
upward, opposite sides of the ring.
Beta=hydroxyl
downward.
Fats and
lipids/oils=3 fatty acids and glycerol molecule; LONG carbon chains.
Phospholipid=polar
head, nonpolar tails.
Proteins are
polymers composed of amino acid monomers.
Covalent peptide
bonds
Thursday, July 18, 2013
DIY: Hawaiian Hula Girl Costume
Hey guys! Here is the first post of my new "Do it Yourself Series". Please check out my book reviews and academic help posts! Coming Soon: My One Direction Concert Experience Story
Thank you so much for all the pageviews, I'm up to 312!
******************************************************
So I've been working as a C.I.T. (Counselor-in-Training) at a day camp for kids ages 3-5. I've done a total of five days so far, and I love it! The kids are so adorable and funny. The activities my group takes part in ranges from art to science to swimming and more! I made friends with the other C.I.T.'s in my group too. Tomorrow is Halloween in July Day at camp. Every Friday there is a different fun theme. For Halloween in July, my friends and I are dressing up as Hawaiian Hula girls. I decided to create a Hawaiian Hula girl costume tutorial, that's affordable and will make you the bomb-diggity at any Halloween rave.
Hawaiian Hula Girl Costume DIY Tutorial
Materials: Bright-colored top, bright-colored skirt, flip flops, flower lei, tropical flower (preferably a fake one so it won't wilt on you), bobby pins, and a colorful ponytail holder.
Step 1: To make a Hawaiian flower clip, take your fake tropical flower and one bobby pin. Depending on your flower, you could either crazy glue it to the bobby pin or you could attach it somehow without glue. My flower had a plastic piece jutting out of the back so I hooked the closed end of the bobby pin around it, and it created a tight hold. Once you've created your flower clip, stick it on the side of your head toward the front.
Step 2: For a hairstyle, put your hair into a side ponytail or a side braid.
Step 3: For makeup, use pastel colors like pinks and greens to give a summery look. I went with some bold eye shadow and a light pink lip. Makeup doesn't matter TOO much for this costume, so don't worry too much about it.
Step 4: To add some extra flair, you could wear a grass skirt over your regular skirt. You could also accessorize with a flowery bracelet, headband, and/or earrings. Holding a coconut with some punch in it and a straw sticking out would be pretty cool. Depends on how all-out you want to go.
Monday, July 8, 2013
"Magic or Madness" Book Review 7/7/13
Title: Magic or Madness
Author: Justine Larbalestier
Genre: Fantasy
Date Published: 2005
Star Rating: 2/5.
Heeeeeello. I haven't posted in a long while and I'm sorry about that. It took me a long time to get through this novel... way longer than it should have. Clocking in at 304 pages, this "fantasy" story should really be labelled as realistic fiction... because it pretty much is. Fifteen-year-old Reason Cansino is sent to live with her grandmother in Sydney after her mother is put in the psych ward. Reason has grown up thinking her grandmother, Esmeralda, is an evil witch. When she goes to stay with her, she finds some rather curious items in her grandmother's home that include: a cat carcass, a key, and a pile of black jackets (dare I add, the significance of the black jackets are never actually explained...). A "love interest" is introduced as well; Esmeralda's neighbor Tom. Now Tom is quite a catch. He's obsessed with fashion design, to the extent that he makes commentary on men's outfits while on outings. So back to that key that Reason comes upon. It unlocks a mysterious door, and when Reason goes through it she magically steps into New York City!
Cool! Magic! That's what I'm talkin' about! Not so faaaaaast *cue singsongy voice*. The next hundred something pages are spent following Reason on her adventures to night clubs and fancy restaurants in Times Square. Justine Larbalestier must have been really hungry while writing this book because on almost every other page, she's just describing food in great detail. At least the woman can write in the sense that she's talented at description. But by the fourth depiction of kasha (European cereal/porridge) I was a little tired of hearing about it. There is seriously like one whole chapter dedicated to Tom ordering food at a diner. The waitress asks 5-6 questions (i.e. "what kind of soup you want?") and all I'm thinking is "this is a most unfortunate waste of paper". Finally, some mention of magic resurfaces when Reason must flee her grandfather who threatens to steal her magic away from her. During the 'final battle' legitimately nothing happens. Reason's grandmother and grandfather see each other, and they stare at each other for a good ten pages, and I heard a thousand violins and whatnot and then Reason somehow ends up back in Sydney. At this point, I wanted to put the book to better use as firewood. I want my time back that I spent reading this piece of junk. The only reason I gave it two stars instead of one is because the writing wasn't bad. However, the story was a joke. I wouldn't recommend this to anybody I like, to spare them from the never-ending food descriptions and nonsensical nightclub scenes. I can't spend another minute ranting about this book because it just frustrates me. WARNING: DO NOT READ= my review in a nutshell.
'Tis time to end yet another conflict!
HAGS (Have a Great Summer for those who aren't aware... no I am not calling you a hag), be a Potterhead, sing like a Mockingjay, respect the nature, and above all... be your magickal self!
Blessed Be!
~The Black Rose Librarian aka Sam ^_^
Find me on GoodReads! @XBlackRose07
Thursday, June 20, 2013
"We Have Always Lived in the Castle" Book Review 6/11/13
Title: We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Author: Shirley Jackson
Genre: Horror? I'm actually not sure on this one. We'll just go with Speculative Fiction
Date Published: 1962
Rating: 5/5
Yay! I finally got around to reading this novella by one of my favorite authors ever! And boy am I glad I did. We Have Always Lived in the Castle was just... fascinating! The tale centers around the Blackwood family consisting of sisters Mary Katherine and Constance and their Uncle Julian. From the very first paragraph , told in the first person from Mary Katherine (Merricat)'s point of view, we learn that the rest of the Blackwood family is dead. The chilling tale centers around the daily routine of the Blackwood sisters and the obstacles Constance must face after being convicted of poisoning her parents. Everyday is pretty much the same except for the days when Merricat goes into town to buy groceries. It is obvious that the townspeople despise the Blackwood's and a popular trend for the young boys of the town is to tease Merricat about Constance being a murderer. When Cousin Charles comes to visit, everything changes for the sisters. Charles seeks change in the Blackwoods' lifestyle, something that is alien to the sisters. The climax of the novella occurs when the Blackwood house is set on fire. By the conclusion of the story, it's obvious that Merricat is not sane. She acts like a ingenuous child on the outside and her thoughts demonstrate that of a mentally disturbed individual. For example, Merricat's fantasies that she tells Constance about. She reminisces about how they will visit the moon on her Pegasus where tasty plants grow. When Merricat is in town she imagines in her mind that she is walking on their dead bodies. She has a dream that her family is still alive and is seated at the dinner table where she orders them to "bow down to Merricat" and they obey her every command. It also becomes apparent that Merricat is the true murderer of her parents. Constance acts as a matronly figure to Merricat, even taking the blame for the murder. Even though Merricat is "crazy" and a murderer, I still felt really sorry for her. It's almost like she's an innocent child that doesn't know right from wrong. Shirley Jackson uses the motif of isolationism throughout the story. The Blackwoods are virtually cut off from the rest of the world, and they shut out all outside influence and refuse change of any sort. Jackson wrote We Have Always Lived in the Castle towards the end of her life and I think she was trying to tell us something. People may say she's "crazy" or a nutcase because of he content of her work, but I think she was just severely misunderstood. What I gather from all of the stories I've read by her, is that she feels trapped inside her own mind because she's different and she's isolated from society in that sense. I respect Shirley Jackson so much, and I appreciate her work because I understand it. I think only certain people can truly appreciate We Have Always Lived in the Castle because they understand it. I am one of those people, and I can honestly say that Shirley Jackson is brilliant. There will never be another author like her. I sincerely hope that wherever she is now, she is happy and at peace. I apologize for the somber tone of this post, but I refuse to poke fun at Shirley Jackson's achievements. Thank you for reading this, and hopefully I convinced you to check out We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
Enjoy your summer, be a Potterhead, sing like a Mockingjay, and above all... respect that nature!
~Sam
aka The Black Rose Librarian ^_^
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" Book Review 6/3/2013
Title: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Author: Ransom Riggs
Genre: Fantasy
Year Published: 2011
Hello! I became interested in reading Miss Peregrine's because my school librarian wrote an article in the school newspaper recommending it. Besides the overall positive reviews I've came across on GoodReads regarding this novel, the cover itself is enticing. Creepy little girl levitating, the black and white, the font used for the titling... I had high expectations. I was anticipating a chilling read that'd keep me engrossed from start to finish, especially because of the unnerving vintage photos Riggs includes within his pages. I'd like to share some of these photos that I found particularly haunting:
There are many more, I assure you. They're really interesting to look at and all BUT (caps on that BUT) there is a catch. The actual story...to put it lightly...was pretty stinky. Miss Peregrine's involves sixteen-year-old Jacob who has always been taken by his grandfather's fantastical stories of his childhood. Jacob's grandfather explains how he grew up at an orphanage in Wales along with children that had superpowers. When Jacob's grandfather is mysteriously killed, Jacob's therapist Dr. Golan persuades his father, a bird watcher, to visit the orphanage. At this point the story is slow and dragging but the pictures are cool! After what seems like forever, Jacob discovers the orphanage is nothing but a pile of rubble. It was bombed by the Germans in World War II. But the suspense doesn't end there! Now, Jacob is magically trapped in a time loop and stuck in the year 1940! I'll admit, this concept seemed quite cool at first. However, as the story progresses, it just gets downright lame and confusing. It turns out that Jacob's grandfather really was telling the truth about the whole kids-with-superpowers thing and Jacob himself is super-ish! He can time-travel! Oh and also, his grandfather was killed by monsters. The monsters now wish to eat Jacob. Um...
Yeah... at this point I could my head cocked to the side and my jaw went askew and I might have drooled a little... it was definitely a "wait what?!" moment. Just when things were beginning to get interesting, you had to totally mess with my mind Sir Ransom. This book had a lot of potential. My theory: the author was inflicted with a serious case of Writer's Block about three quarters of the way in, and just tossed together a cruddy, nonsensical resolution. Plus, there were so many flaws throughout the text. Who edited this?! Honestly, it's so messy that it should be taken off shelves around the world and be fixed up. I have read that the novel is being adapted into a feature-length film possibly directed by TIM BURTON. This must be a discrepancy, because I don't believe it for one minute. Nope, nope, nope. I mean, Tim Burton can turn ANYTHING into gold. I just don't understand why he would even bother taking on the project of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children because guess what? NOTHING and I repeat NOTHING even remotely scary occurs in this book. NO THING. Not even a little creepy! The photos lie. The cover lies. The reviews lie. Hardcore horror fans like myself, don't waste your time. Try Coraline, The Exorcist, or Rosemary's Baby.
It is that time once again my fellow bookworms... let's end this conflict here and now!
Stay in school, be a Potterhead, soar like a Mockingjay, respect the nature, and above all... be your magickal self!
~The Black Rose Librarian
aka Sam ^_^
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Weight-Training Guide
Weight-Training
Guide
·
Spotters help adjust the
machine, help lift the weight, and make sure person is doing exercise
correctly.
·
Focus on breathing, posture, and
speed when exercising.
·
Overload is when one needs to do
more lifting in order to benefit from weightlifting (increase resistance).
·
Progression is when the amount
of training needs to be improved gradually.
·
8-12 reps per set.
·
Repetition is doing an exercise
one time.
·
A set is a group of reps with a
period of rest at end.
·
Increase weight after 15 reps if
it is too light for you. Decrease weight after 8 reps if it is too heavy for
you.
·
You should strength train 2-3
times per week.
·
Shoulders back, belly in when
weightlifting.
·
Reps should last two seconds.
·
Muscular strength and endurance
are being worked in the weight room.
What muscles does each station target the most?
Leg curl= hamstrings
Leg extension= quadriceps
Chest press=pectorals
Overhead press=deltoid
Pull down= latissmus dorsi and trapezius
Arm extension=triceps
Bent leg ab board=rectus abdominus
Arm curl=biceps
Squats=gluteus maximus
Pull-ups=lats, traps
Bench press= pecs
Leg press=glutes
Cable crossover=pecs, triceps
Ultimate Frisbee: Rules of the Game
Hey guys!
This post is a continuation of my study guides series. I have my Phys. Ed. final exam tomorrow so I made this Ultimate Frisbee rules list. I'll also be posting a weight-training guide.
This post is a continuation of my study guides series. I have my Phys. Ed. final exam tomorrow so I made this Ultimate Frisbee rules list. I'll also be posting a weight-training guide.
Ultimate
Frisbee
· Field
is 70 x 40 yards with end zones 25 yards deep.
· Each
point begins with opposing teams on either end zones facing each other. The defense
“pulls” the Frisbee to the offensive team.
· Points
must be scored in the defensive team’s end zone.
· Frisbee
advances by being passed between teammates.
· Thrower=
person with disk. Marker= person guarding thrower.
· Stall
count is 10 seconds. If thrower does not toss Frisbee within the 10 second
stall count, then it is a foul and a turnover occurs to the opposing team.
· Other
Fouls= out of bounds, drop, block, interception.
· After
every score, players may be substituted in and out.
· No
physical contact allowed between players.
· Players
must play man-to-man defense.
· Players
call their own fouls.
· Spirit
of the Game: sportsmanship and fair play is a must in Ultimate.
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